Interaction of Public Authorities in the Sphere of Strategic Planning of the Russian Federation

Starovoitov Vladimir Gavrilovich ORCID: 0000-0002-7595-6379 Doctor of Economics Director of the Center for Monitoring and Assessment of Economic Security of the Institute of Economic Policy and Economic Security Issues, Financial University under the Government of the Russian Federation 125993, Russia, g. Moscow, ul. Leningradskii pr-Kt, 49, of. s pometkoi – Institut ekonomicheskoi politiki i problem ekonomicheskoi bezopasnosti vladstar1953@yahoo.com Other publications by this author

1. Introduction In modern conditions, the dynamics of processes in the economy and social sphere of the Russian Federation has significantly increased, there is an increase in geopolitical instability and conflict, the strengthening of interstate contradictions, the emergence of new challenges, threats and risks of socio-economic development and ensuring national security of the country.

Solving the problem of minimizing and neutralizing these threats and risks requires the mobilization of the activities of the authorities in the Russian Federation. This should be facilitated by a state management system based on the principles of strategic planning ^[1]. Unfortunately, a full-fledged strategic planning system has not yet been built in the country. Namely, such a (full-fledged) system creates conditions for coordination and close interaction of authorities in solving the tasks of achieving sustainable development and ensuring the national security of the Russian Federation ^[2]. The purpose of the research presented in the article is to improve the strategic planning system in Russia. The article deals with the formation of public authorities and their interaction in the field of strategic planning of the Russian Federation. The novelty of the research consists in the formation of a system of interaction between public authorities capable of increasing the effectiveness of the strategic planning participants in addressing issues of socio-economic development and ensuring the economic and national security of Russia.   The ongoing changes in the Russian management system provide for strengthening the vertical of power, increasing the effectiveness of the activities of state and municipal authorities in the implementation of strategic planning documents, achieving the goals of socio-economic development and ensuring the national security of the Russian Federation ^[3]. This determines the relevance of the conducted research.

2. About public authorities in Russia. The analysis of domestic regulatory legal acts carried out in the study showed that the concept of "public authority" was absent in modern Russian legislation until March 2020.

It appeared when the Constitution of the Russian Federation was updated. ^[4] Thus, in accordance with Part 3 of Article 132 of the Law of the Russian Federation on the Amendment to The Constitution of the Russian Federation No. 1-FKZ of March 14, 2020 "On Improving the Regulation of Certain Issues of the Organization and Functioning of Public Power" defines that local self-government bodies and public authorities are part of a unified system of public power in the Russian Federation and interact for the most effective solution of tasks in the interests of the population living in the relevant territory ^[5]. In development of the provisions of the updated Constitution of the Russian Federation, in accordance with Federal Law No. 394-FZ of December 8, 2020 "On the State Council of the Russian Federation", the definition of a unified system of public power has been expanded to include "federal state authorities, state authorities of the subjects of the Russian Federation, other state bodies, local self-government bodies in their aggregates". In addition, at the end of 2021, Federal Law No. 414-FZ of December 21, 2021 "On the General principles of the organization of public power in the Subjects of the Russian Federation" appeared. In accordance with this law, an updated model of the organization and activities of public authorities in the territories of the subjects of the Russian Federation is being built. It is established that federal state authorities and other federal state bodies exercise their powers on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation in cooperation with the state authorities of the subject of the Russian Federation, other state bodies of the subject of the Russian Federation, local self-government bodies operating on the territory of the subject of the Russian Federation, and they collectively are bodies included in the unified system of public the authorities in the subject of the Russian Federation ^[6]. The above-mentioned law enshrines the principles of the activities of these bodies, which, in particular, include ensuring the observance and protection of human and civil rights and freedoms; the supremacy of the Constitution of the Russian Federation; coordinated functioning and interaction of public authorities at all levels - at federal, regional and municipal; differentiation of subjects of competence and powers between levels of public authority and guarantees of financial support for the separation of powers; recognition and guarantee of local self-government (Explanatory Note to the draft Federal Law "On General Principles of the organization of public power in the subjects of the Russian Federation" [Electronic resource] URL: sozd.duma.gov.ru "bill/1256381-7 (accessed 25.11.2022)) ^[7]. The law defines the measures of responsibility applied to officials, regulates the mechanism of interaction of public authorities. The provisions of the law are based on the constitutional foundations of the unity of public power in the Russian Federation, proceed from the objective necessity of interaction of all levels of public power and are aimed at creating conditions for ensuring sustainable and integrated socio-economic development within the entire territory of the Russian Federation and the territory of each of its subjects in the interests of citizens, society, the state ^[8].

3. About the sphere of strategic planning

Strategic planning in Russia is carried out in accordance with Federal Law No. 172-FZ of June 28, 2014 "On Strategic Planning in the Russian Federation". During the validity of this law, a significant amount of work has been done on the organization and regulation of relations between strategic planning participants, on the development of methodological support for the formation of strategic planning documents and their implementation, etc. Some experience of strategic planning has been accumulated at the federal, regional and municipal levels ^[9]. Currently, the Register of Strategic Planning documents of the State Automated Information System "Management" contains more than 61,000 strategic planning documents ([Electronic resource] URL: http://gasu.gov/statplanning (accessed 25.11.2022)). The list of strategic planning documents being developed at the federal, regional and municipal levels is presented in Article 11 of Federal Law No. 172-FZ of June 28, 2014 "On Strategic Planning in the Russian Federation". As mentioned above, a significant number of strategic planning documents are currently being developed and approved in the Russian Federation, they are being developed within the framework of goal-setting, forecasting, planning and programming at the federal level, at the level of subjects of the Russian Federation and at the level of municipalities. Among them are such fundamental strategies as: the National Security Strategy of the country; the Strategy of Economic Security of the country until 2030; the Strategy of Scientific and Technological Development until 2035; the Strategy of Spatial Development until 2025, etc. ^{[10, 11]}. On the basis of these strategies, numerous strategic planning documents at the sectoral, regional and municipal levels are being built. But, unfortunately, the above-mentioned basic strategies differ significantly in terms of validity, the goals set in them are largely unrelated to each other, there is a duplication of individual elements of strategies. This state of affairs has developed largely due to the lack of a deeply theoretically elaborated, comprehensively discussed in society, fundamental strategy for the development of Russia as a whole - the Strategy of socio–economic Development of the Russian Federation. Attempts to create such a strategy for the development of the country were made in 2017, 2019 and 2021, but did not bring the desired result.  Meanwhile, the Strategy of socio-economic development of the Russian Federation, which occupies a leading place in the architecture of strategic planning documents, as well as the Strategies of socio-economic development of the subjects of the Russian Federation and the Strategies of Socio-economic Development of municipalities should be developed first. This makes it possible to determine the further sequence of development of strategic planning documents and ensure consistency and balance of strategic planning documents by priorities, goals, objectives, indicators, financial and other resources. A comprehensive analysis of the current system of strategic planning in Russia has shown that the system has a number of problems, and it requires improvement. One of the main problems that need to be addressed is the lack of effective interaction of public authorities in the field of strategic planning. An important role in improving the strategic planning system is assigned to the "Fundamentals of State policy in the field of strategic planning in the Russian Federation" approved by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 633 of November 8, 2021. Section I of this document defines that the strategic planning system needs to be improved. It is necessary to take legal and organizational measures aimed at improving the effectiveness of interaction between public authorities in the field of strategic planning, its scientific and methodological, information and analytical and personnel support, which will create conditions for achieving the goals and objectives of socio-economic development of the Russian Federation and ensuring national security of the Russian Federation ^[12].It should be noted that today the most difficult situation in the field of strategic planning has developed at the municipal level. Currently, there are over 20,000 municipalities in the Russian Federation, which causes the presence of a large number (about 50,000) of strategic planning documents at this level. Such a volume of strategic planning documents overloads the strategic planning system, leads to poor quality of their development and implementation. Complicates methodological support and control of strategic planning processes by federal and regional government agencies ^[13].

In accordance with Article 11, paragraph 5 of Federal Law No. 172-FZ "On Strategic Planning in the Russian Federation", strategic planning documents developed at the municipal level include:

1) the strategy of socio-economic development of the municipality;

2) action plan for the implementation of the socio-economic development strategy of the municipality;

3) forecast of socio-economic development of the municipality for the medium or long term;

4) budget forecast of the municipality for the long-term period;

5) municipal programs. (item 5 in the ed. Federal Law No. 299-FZ of 30.10.2017)

At the same time, in accordance with Article 39 of Federal Law No. 172-FZ "On Strategic Planning in the Russian Federation":

- strategic planning documents necessary to ensure the budgetary process in municipalities are developed, approved (approved) and implemented in accordance with the Budget Code of the Russian Federation. (As amended by Federal Law No. 299-FZ of 30.10.2017);

- by decision of local self-government bodies, a strategy for the socio-economic development of a municipality and an action plan for the implementation of the strategy for the socio-economic development of a municipality can be developed, approved (approved) and implemented (as amended by Federal Law No. 299-FZ of 30.10.2017).

Thus, of the five strategic planning documents at the municipal level, only three are necessarily being developed and implemented:

-forecast of socio-economic development of the municipality for the medium or long term;

       -budget forecast of the municipality for the long-term period;

       -municipal programs.

And two strategic planning documents that are not required to be developed and implemented at the municipal level are:

- strategy of socio-economic development of the municipality;

- action plan for the implementation of the socio-economic development strategy of the municipality.

This decision is explained by the lack of necessary financial and human resources in many Russian municipalities to organize and carry out work on the integrated development of their municipalities ^[14].

In addition, the fundamental documents of strategic planning of the National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation approved by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation dated December 31, 2015 No. 683 and the Economic Security Strategy of the Russian Federation for the period up to 2030 define management structures that form and implement state policy in the field of national and economic security, among them: federal, regional, municipal levels. But as practice shows, in Russian municipalities, activities to ensure national and economic security, with rare exceptions, are not carried out ^{[15, 16]}.

At the same time, in the new National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation approved by Presidential Decree No. 400 of July 2, 2021, the national security system is defined as a set of public authorities implementing state policy in the field of national security and instruments at their disposal. That is, the unity of actions in the sphere of ensuring economic and national security of all management structures included in the new management model - public authorities is determined ^[17].

It should be noted that in the National Security Strategy of the Russian Federation 2021, in section IV, economic security is considered as a strategic national priority. The tasks (35 in total) that public authorities need to solve in order to achieve the goals of ensuring the economic security of the Russian Federation are identified ^{[18, 19]}.

An important regulatory legal act should include the bill adopted in the first reading by the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation on January 25, 2022. The draft federal law has been prepared in development of the provisions of the Constitution of the Russian Federation on the unified system of public power and is aimed at improving the organization of local self-government in the Russian Federation.

The principle of unity of the system of public power presupposes "coordinated action of various levels of public power as a whole for the benefit of citizens" (Conclusion of the Constitutional Court of the Russian Federation No. 1-3 of 03/16/2020).

In accordance with the constitutional foundations of the unity of public power, the bill builds an updated model of the organization and activities of local self-government bodies.

In accordance with the new draft law, only three types (out of eight) of municipalities remain in the system of local self-government of the Russian Federation - the Municipal District, the Urban District and the Inner-city Territory (inner-city municipal formation) of the city of federal significance.

At the same time, the number of municipalities in Russia is sharply reduced from 20,000 to 4,000. This consolidation of municipalities should increase the financial and personnel independence of municipalities and increase their capabilities in solving issues of their functioning and development.

In this case, municipalities will be able to fully develop and implement strategic planning documents and become full-fledged participants in strategic planning in the Russian Federation. The number of strategic planning documents will decrease significantly, while a higher level of interconnection of strategic planning documents of federal, regional and municipal structures is expected.

Reducing differentiation among municipalities will make it possible to form more universal strategic planning documents in terms of content and structure. This will help automate the processes of their development and adjustment.

It should be noted that Russian legislation regulating the activities of public authorities provides for the participation of higher-level authorities in the formation of lower-level authorities. That is, federal authorities participate in the process of forming the authorities of the Subjects of the Russian Federation, and they, in turn, participate in the formation of municipal authorities.

In addition, the responsibility of heads of municipalities and heads of local administrations to the highest official of a constituent entity of the Russian Federation, and heads of constituent entities of the Russian Federation to the President of the Russian Federation is being strengthened.

One of the reasons for the removal of the head of the municipality to resign is the systematic failure to achieve performance indicators of local self-government bodies. With the corresponding initiative, the highest official of the subject of the Russian Federation has the right to apply to the representative body of the municipality.

Also, the highest official of a subject of the Russian Federation has the right to issue a warning, reprimand the head of a municipality, the head of a local administration for improper performance or non-performance of duties to ensure the exercise by local self-government bodies of certain state powers transferred to local self-government bodies by federal laws and (or) laws of the subject of the Russian Federation.Thus, the adoption and implementation of the draft law "On the general principles of the organization of local self-government in a unified system of public authority" will improve the interaction of public authorities, including in the field of strategic planning.

4. Problems arising in the implementation of federal legislation in the organization of public power in the Russian Federation"Along with the above positive changes, some problems appear during the transition to a unified system of public authority.

 In accordance with Article 65 of Federal Law No. 414-FZ of December 21, 2021 "On the General Principles of the Organization of Public Power in the Subjects of the Russian Federation", it fully enters into force on January 1, 2023.

By this time, all regulatory legal acts of the subjects of the Russian Federation, municipal legal acts are subject to compliance with this Federal Law.

 At the same time, as the results of the round table: Transformation of the powers of regions and municipalities in a single system of public authority, held within the framework of the XX All-Russian Forum "Strategic Planning in the regions and cities of Russia" in St. Petersburg on October 31, 2022, it is too early to talk about the entry into force of Federal law No. 414.

 Unfortunately, over the past year, the requirements necessary for the full use of Federal Law No. 414-FZ of December 21, 2021 "On General Principles of the Organization of public Power in the Subjects of the Russian Federation" have not been met. These requirements relate to the definition and clarification of regional powers. It should be noted that in accordance with the above-mentioned law, the number of powers in the regions increases from 130 to 170.In this regard, the main problems in the subjects of the Russian Federation are:

- establishment of an optimal list of regional powers;

 - ensuring the unambiguity and clarity of the wording of the powers;

 - determination of resources necessary for the execution of powers, establishment of expenditure obligations;

 - identification of overlapping or overlapping regional authorities^[20].

As for the draft law "On general principles of the organization of local self-government in a unified system of public authority" No. 403361-8, the same problems are here. As well as at the level of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation, the number of powers at the municipal level is increasing from 36 to 67. At the same time, municipalities have similar problems in terms of powers, as well as at the regional level.

In addition, after the adoption of the above-mentioned draft law by the State Duma of the Federal Assembly of the Russian Federation in the first reading on January 25, 2022, over a thousand comments and amendments were received from various state and municipal structures. They concern the expediency of switching to a single-level structure of local self-government, reducing and reducing the number of municipalities, etc. 

In this regard, at the federal level, it was decided to take measures to accelerate the process of delineation and consolidation of powers at all levels of government, etc. The Federal Law No. 172-FZ of June 28, 2014 "On Strategic Planning in the Russian Federation" and the laws regulating the activities of the unified system of public authority in Russia will also be synchronized.

5. Conclusions:In recent years, the legislative basis for the formation of a unified system of public power has been created in the Russian Federation.

An updated model of the organization and activities of federal, regional and municipal authorities is being built in the country, which increases the effectiveness of their interaction.

The introduction of such a management model in the field of strategic planning allows improving the strategic planning system, which in turn makes it possible:- to increase the mobilization readiness and effectiveness of the activities of public authorities in the field of strategic planning to ensure socio-economic development, economic and national security;

- optimize the number of strategic planning documents being developed, primarily at the level of the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and the municipal level and clearly link them with federal level documents;

- ensure consistency of strategic planning and budget process;

- to increase the level of information and analytical support to support the processes of developing and making effective management decisions;

- ensure effective control and monitoring in the field of strategic planning;

- increase efficiency in the adjustment of plans and programs;

- to increase the responsibility of officials of public authorities in the field of strategic planning.

And others .